Does anybody else here trim down .357 Mag cases for use in .38 Special?

I ordered a Lee .38 Special case trimmer (the type used with an electric drill).

I was just wondering if there's a better set-up for this chore that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

TIA!

Just curious, why? You can get O.F. .38sp brass pretty cheap.

Damn...Brand new factory .38 Special brass runs around $72 per 1000, and once fired is about 1/4 that price.

How many 38 special cases do you need? Might make a trade as I have a bunch

IMO sell the 357 and buy 38's

At the range I see 38 tossed all the time .

Johnch

I just GAVE away 1000 rounds of mixed 38/357 brass because I don't own a revolver anymore and I didn't want to waste the energy trying to sell the stuff.

ZM

Damn! It sounds like I'm almost doing something criminal!

I have access to buttloads of free .357 Mag brass (all RP). But once fired .38 Special is hard to come by.

I thought I'd convert this free .357 Mag brass to .38 Special. The Lee trimmer is cheap and I thought I'd just trim them down to .38 Special length.

I've only got one gun that uses .357 Mag. An NEF rifle...... so I don't need that many .357 Mag cases.

I figured I'd trim about 1,000 to .38 Special length.

I haven't seen a good source for once fired .38 Special lately.

Sounds like a lot of work
Midways only $26 per 500 once fired
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=613759

The reloading stores around here all have used 38spl

If youn trim 357 rounds to 38 length, you'll get a bulge if using bullets heavier than 110 gr.

357 cases are thinner where the bullet shank makes contact with the case wall, and get very thick towasrd the case head.

Your frankenstein round may not chamber at all.

I will trade you 1000 .38 cases for 800 357s..

DaMan
Chuckle.
Many years ago I trimmed half a 5 gal bucket full of 44 mag brass down to 44 Spec. I was poor, 44 Spec brass was scarce, found the 44 mag brass at recycler real cheap, etc.
One of my buddies got tired of hearing me complain about trimming brass and found an old cop with a whole lot of 44 Spec brass. Well, my buddy wanted the 44 mag brass, I wanted the 44 Spec brass and the old cop wanted the 38 spec brass my buddy and I had. Everybody was happy.
I pick up and bring home any 38 Spec brass I find. Most likely I have a 5 gal bucket that I'll never use unless I buy my wife a Colt Diamondback.
Skip the trimming and use the 357 brass as trade goods.
Jim

Trimming .357 brass to .38 length creates one more potential problem.....slim maybe but serious if it happens.
You still have .357 head stamps and that brass could possibly be loaded to .357 pressures and then fired in a .38 special. Yes the .38 cases can be loaded to .357 pressures too.....but that's less likely to happen.

It's just not worth the work anyway you cut the cookie. Trade the cases for the ones that you want.

What Ray said, I'll rtade you 500 mags for some O.F. 38sp. Just send me your address.

Not to hijack but any one want to trade 44 spl for 44 mag shells ? 25 empty 25 new !!!!

I admit, trading my .357 Mags for 38 Spl. would be the smart way to go. I'll keep all of your trade offers in mind. If I become frustrated with my project, I may take you up on your offers.

The .357 Mag case markings don't bother me. I can tell by OAL what I'm loading. Also it's fun to see the expresions of other shooters when they think I'm using .357 Mags. in my .38 SPL!

quote:

If youn trim 357 rounds to 38 length, you'll get a bulge if using bullets heavier than 110 gr.

357 cases are thinner where the bullet shank makes contact with the case wall, and get very thick towasrd the case head.

Ralph, I was always under the impression that the walls on the .357 Mag were pretty uniform until you get almost to the web. I'll be sure to test seat a 148 gr. LWC to see if this is true before I trim a bunch of cases down.

If it turns out that I would have to ream the cases to keep them from bulging, I'll scrap the project immediately.

I'll keep you guys posted on the progress (or lack of) of my project.

Around here (SF bay area) once fired .38SPL is about $14/1000. Seems like cutting them down is way too much work

quote:

$14/1000

Huh?!!!

If you are shooting the stuff in a 357 Mag chamber, why trim anything? Load your favorite owder puff load and shoot away. In 30 years of shootig 38's and 357's I've never had any trouble putting 38 loads in a 357 case. Ain't gonna happen. I shoot such loads in a 357 Maximum case, in a 357 Maximum Handi Rifle. I cannot imagine they wouldn't work in a 357 Magnum case.

trade with Ray! i trim .41 mags down to .41 special because if available the price on .41 special brass is out of the question. I do it on an rcbs power trimmer and its still more work then you want to deal with.

quote:

If you are shooting the stuff in a 357 Mag chamber, why trim anything? Load your favorite owder puff load and shoot away.

JP, I'm trimming the .357 Mag cases down for use in my .38 SPL revolver.

quote:

I do it on an rcbs power trimmer and its still more work then you want to deal with.

You guys keep using that nasty 4-letter word..... "WORK"!

LS, I'm going to trim and reload a small batch (about 50rds) and see if it's worth the trouble before I cut down a whole bunch of cases.